History of Sustainability at Henkel

Henkel’s sustainability strategy has continuously evolved. When Fritz Henkel started his detergent business in 1876, his vision was to make people’s lives easier, better and more beautiful. From the very beginning, Henkel has taken responsibility for its employees, neighbors and the community. In 1912, a first-aid center was set up at the plant and a full-time nurse was hired. Since 1927, Henkel continuously improved its occupational safety through systematic accident prevention. The introduction in 1959 of regular ecological quality checks for detergents and household cleaners was one of the first steps to make sure that products and production had no harmful effect on the environment. In 1991, Henkel was one of the first companies to sign the Business Charter for Sustainable Development of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Today, worldwide management systems for safety, health, environment are in place, and the concept of sustainability is firmly anchored in Henkel’s corporate policy.

Milestones of Sustainability Orientation

1876

Fritz Henkel founded Henkel & Cie in Aachen; workforce: 3 employees; manufacture of the first product named "Universal Laundry Detergent" based on waterglass.

1878

First successful brands for home laundering in Germany: Henkel's "Bleich-Soda" (bleaching soda), a powdered mix of soda and waterglass.

1878

Relocation of the company from Aachen to Düsseldorf-Flingern. Fritz Henkel arranges for office workers to receive free copies of the Düsseldorfer Stadtanzeiger (a local newspaper) to keep them up to date with current affairs.

1900

Free midday meal for employees every day, construction of the first company apartments for employees.

1907

Persil was developed as the first self-acting laundry detergent. It relieved housewives of the laborious rubbing by hand and the attendant wear and tear on the fabric.

1911

Sport and games areas were provided for use during breaks.

1912

A first-aid center was set up at the plant and a full-time nurse was hired.

1917

Henkel employees elected their first representative body (workers' council).

1927

Henkel became the first company in the chemical industry in Germany to employ a safety engineer, who was responsible for planned accident prevention. Alongside his safety tasks, he sought to improve conditions of work.

1933

A welfare station was established on the site to offer advice to mothers, as well as care for infants and medical examinations for children.

1934

Since 1927, systematic accident prevention work had reduced the number of accidents per 100 employees per year from 10 to 4.

1940

Organization of a plant kindergarten as well as a site medical service staffed by volunteers.